Man drove while nearly three times the limit after ‘celebrating friend’s life’

A man who was nearly three times the drink-drive limit decided to get behind the wheel after a day of drinking with his friends.Steven Grodkiewicz, 45, of Guanock Terrace in Lynn, appeared at the town’s magistrates’ court on Thursday, where he admitted the offence.Prosecutor Jackie Hamlon told the court that two police officers were on duty on the evening of April 3 at around 7.50pm when they noticed a vehicle’s brake light was not working and was travelling over the speed limit.

They pulled the car over and could smell alcohol on Grodkiewicz’s breath. A roadside breath test was conducted, which came back positive.After being arrested, he provided an evidential reading of 103mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit to drive is 35mcg.Grodkiewicz, who has recently moved to Lynn, appeared unrepresented in court. He said his friend died a few days before the incident, and he had been drinking with others to “celebrate his life”. He told the court that he was drinking cider throughout the day.“There is no excuse for it. If I had hit someone and they died, I would not have been able to live with myself,” he said. Grodkiewicz added that he is trying to get his life in gear again, as he has suffered with alcohol addiction in the past.For the offence, he received a £200 fine and will pay a victim surcharge of £80.He was also disqualified from driving for two years.